Which GPS

[Cherianda]

A very common question I suspect! Which GPS system should I buy? Retiring soon hopefully with a nice retirement present (or a voucher!) New to geocaching, used to using maps and compasses. Any recommendations?:confused:

[Bear and Ragged]

What are you after?
Plain and simple, all singing and dancing, or somewhere in between?

[DrDick&Vick]

Having used an eTrx Legend HCX for some time with a PDA to carry the notes, hints and Memory Map, I like the eTrex range.
I have had the use of a Colorado and although it is handy to have all the notes on one unit I was not that impressed for the ££money££.
The eTrex Legend HCx or Vista HCx is my suggestion.

[esim]

Can recommend the Garmin Vista HCx.

I've had it for a couple of months now and it's great for the price. And if you use POI's for caches (see tread on POI (https://www.gagb.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1711)) then you can have all the cache info short of the textual description.

[Cherianda]

A very common question I suspect! Which GPS system should I buy? Retiring soon hopefully with a nice retirement present (or a voucher!) New to geocaching, used to using maps and compasses. Any recommendations?:confused:






Thanks for the replies i am looking at something mid range in price for geocaching

[DrDick&Vick]

Legend HCx available for £128.99 + p&p on EBay, quite a good price.

[Cherianda]

I have just been reading up about the Satmap Active 10! yes i know it is expensive but it does use OS maps. Is it much use for geocaching and will it negate the need for a PDA !

[zwei ormers]

For what it's worth I bought myself a Vista HCx recently and am pretty pleased with it. I've had a Garmin chartplotter on my boat for the past 5 years which is excellent, and the Vista seems to be just as good so far. The Garmin website has a very useful comparison facility, I bought the vista for the electronic compass and altimeter functions. I wouldn't bother getting a GPS because it comes with a 'free' memory card unless it's the same price as a model without - 2Gb memory cards can be had for under a fiver!

[Bodkin76]

Sorry to jump in, but I am trying to decide which GPS to get as a new starter, I am only looking for a budget modee which will allow me to take the kids geocaching. I have narrowed it down to two; the eTrex Venture HC or the eTrex H, the venture says it is Geocaching ready but the H is not.....what is the difference? Help please....:wacko:!

[zwei ormers]

I think the 'geocaching ready' bit means that you get the option to hunt for the nearest cache, and that you get special icons.
Download the user manual off the garmin site to see the differences.

[jjim30]

I think the 'geocaching ready' bit means that you get the option to hunt for the nearest cache, and that you get special icons.
Download the user manual off the garmin site to see the differences.

thats 100% correct,venture HC owner.:cool:

[forestferret]

ok here goes i started out last nov using a vista hcx
it comes ready to use for geocaching all you have to do is click the send to gps button on the cache page and it sends the cache name and position but that is it
still it was very easy to use and great for a beginner like me
but if like me you like to pour over maps etc i was very dissapointed in the maps that came with it lots of info was missing and even after i forked out for the gb topo map i was still very dissapointed almost felt ripped off !!!!

a few weeks ago i upgraded to a satmap active 10 wtch has full os maps the detail on the base maps was so much better than the garmin maps
now that all the firmware up grades and the satsyc software has been upgraded it is easy to import the gpx files and i have had no trouble at all doing so
plus with the gpx file you get everything the description the hints if you want to the last 4 logs i think the term is paperless caching

took it out for a road test at corley couple if weeks ago
it found a sat lock very quick and held its lock all day was very accurate and once you get used to operation and reading the info on screen it became very easy

all in all im over the moon with this unit and i will be using it for many years to come
personnaly i recommend if you buget can reach it the satmap active ten

hope this helps oin you desion and sorry for any spelling mistakes i work nights and just finnished a 12 hour shift :wacko:

regards
Darren

[severnside]

Hi everyone

I'm a very new member of the forum and this is my first post.:cheers:

I have just changed (upgraded would be too strong a word) from my Eagle Expedition II to a Garmin Geko 201.

I was delighted with my Expedition II' s performance and often found it accurate to withing a couple of feet - but it was clunky, big, bulky and awkward - and it ate batteries - 4 x AA at a time. I still have it and use it as backup when I'm not totally confident of the Garmin and need a second opinion - up to now it has always agreed with the Geko !!

I am very pleased with my first two weeks use of the Geko and have just ordered a USB cable for data transfer - not from Garmin, but for half the price from an eBay shop.

The Geko is definitely much easier to use, fewer screens hence less confusion and, now I'm familiar with it, easier to upload co-ordinates.

My wife found it just before my birthday in Lidl for £69.99 which is significantly less that, say, Amazon, were selling it at.

Value for money - EXCELLENT
Performance - EXCELLENT
Caching friendly - DEFFFO
Can upload co-ordinates from PC - YES

Other advantages- can easily pretend it's a mobile phone when muggles are about
Fits in trouser pocket
Doesn't eat batteries - am still using same set as when purchased
Child friendly due to size and build quality
Waterproof
Logical keystrokes once you've learned the system

DISADVANTAGES
Mine does not like tree cover - AT ALL !
Looks a bit "girly" unlike my very butch Expedition II (lol)
Can take a while to acquire satellites - despite claims to the contrary, it's slower than my old Exped II

Overall opinion - go for the "new" (i.e. with data transfer port) Geko 201 if on a budget - I have no serious complaints at all (but have never had a £300 model to assess it against - perhaps if someone would lend me one ....):D

Best rgds
John B

[Cherianda]

Thanks for all the advice, I bought the etrex vista hcx and found it very good!

[FourQ]

Hi everyone
DISADVANTAGES
Mine does not like tree cover - AT ALL !

Best rgds
John B

I'm amazed at the reviews from users of newer GPSr's. I picked up a second hand GPS12 which has been thrown off brick walls, dropped in streams, survived 12 foot drops on to rocks etc. :eek: and all I've had to do so far is wipe the water off the screen. :applause: It keeps its lock in the middle of Keilder Forest never mind a small wood. My son (2y7m) has been responsible for most of the attempts to destroy the device but it just keeps going. I've found myself putting in the coords for his playgroup and suchlike so he can learn how to use it. Sure it eats the 4 AA's but when you can get 16-20 of them for a quid the only thing you worry about is having a spare bag handy for the empties.

My iBlue GPS (66 channel Bluetooth / tracker) will keep a fix all the time it's not beneath concrete. I only use this when my son has the GPS12 so we can both enjoy ourselves.

I'd hate to upgrade to a newer GPSr to find it's not shockproof and loses a fix under cover of trees etc.